Dead World Uprising (Novelization) Wiki
Dead World Uprising is a novel written by Ryan serving as a sequel to the first ''Dead World.'' This volume picks up after the events of Apocalyptia. After the death of Caleb, Ryan Lee and the rest of the survivors have left Los Angeles and travel across many miles of hostile territory seeking a safer home. The group picks up new members and loses old ones as they attempt to survive the brutal winter. The group eventually finds shelter at a small farm, though it is discovered that Seth Williams, the owner of the farm, and his family are keeping a dark secret. Synopsis The survivors have just left their camp outside Los Angeles and come upon a roadblock of wrecked cars. Ryan and a few other members of the group begin to move the cars out of their way when they spot a group of people emerging from the woods. Ryan believes them to be roamers, so he moves forward and swings his hatchet at the tallest member of the group, only to realize they're survivors. The man introduces himself as Ron Sharbino and introduces his daughter Brighton and her best friend Kyla Kenedy. Ryan apologizes for almost killing him, to which Ron says he understands. Ron explains that he and his daughter have been travelling for days, searching for safety. Ryan subsequently goes to speak with Jeffrey, Karsten and David. The four agree to accept the newcomers into their group. Ashleigh is not happy about this and tells Ryan not to be so trusting of other people, even if they have kids with them. The next morning, Ron and Ryan are discussing how the apocalypse has drastically changed them and the people they know. Ron explains to Ryan that a few weeks ago, while scavenging a nearby grocery store for supplies, a man who had been living in the store had welcomed them in kindly, but soon attempted to kidnap Brighton. However, he was able to kill the man before he could kidnap his daughter. This reveals that, similar to Ryan, Ron is willing to do what is necessary in order to survive, regardless of how gruesome it may be. Ron feels that the apocalypse has changed him even more than it had changed the old man as he feels no remorse for killing him. Ryan later explains the names they gave zombies to Ron which were "Roamers" (who are always on the move) and "Lurkers" (who are content with sitting around all day until they smell or see food nearby) because not far ahead they see two roamers heading toward the group. Working together, Ryan and Ron quietly and quickly kill the zombies; Ryan using his hatchet and Ron using a small hammer. The following night, the other group members are quickly warming up to Ron especially Sarah, who starts to flirt with him, he evidently returns the feelings. Ashleigh pulls Ryan aside and apologizes for objecting against his decision the previous day, as she is beginning to trust them more. Ryan tells her not to worry about it, reassuring her that "I know what I'm doing." Ashleigh kisses him again and the two return to the group. Karsten looks at Ryan and tells him that he thinks Ashleigh really has feelings for him. Ryan smiles, suggesting that he's known that for a very long time. The group continues on their journey until they come across a neighborhood enclosed by a 10-foot-tall fence, titled "Heightened Estates." Sonja, Taylor, David, Ashleigh and Jeffrey all believe they could start a new life here. Ryan is uncertain about it, but Olivia manages to convince him as she not only believe it's possible, but if it turns out to be safe, it would be the perfect place for Kyla and Brighton to grow up. Ryan and Ron proceed to clear a house, but Ryan is attacked by two zombies. Ron hears Ryan shouting for some assistance and he tackles one of the zombies that was about to kill Ryan. After they kill both zombies the pair discovers that the house they cleaned out is loaded with canned goods and there are enough rooms for everyone to bunk with their families which leads them to think that they may have found a permanent sanctuary. They end up spending the night inside the cleared house. What none of them notice was the snow-covered sign below the neighborhood sign reads "EVERYONE DEAD, DO NOT ENTER." In the morning, Ryan finds Ashleigh in the kitchen with Kyla and Brighton, making them some canned soup. He smiles as he joins them and they begin to grow closer with the two kids. Taylor talks with Karsten about how happy she has been lately, having taken hope from seeing Olivia and Ashleigh overcome their losses, their new sanctuary and that they couldn't have found nicer neighbors. The group plans to split and clear each of the houses. Ryan notices the sign while fetching a gun for Ron and, shortly after, the group is attacked by a big group of lurkers which had been hiding in the houses. Taylor is killed in the attack, leaving Karsten devastated. He wants the group to leave him behind, but, is convinced otherwise by Ryan who tells him to think of what his girlfriend would want. Ron gets Ryan to return with him to the house for Brighton and Kyla and they all manage to escape the massive horde by jumping onto the roof of the RV. The group then narrowly escapes from Heightened Estates in the RV. The survivors continue on. Ryan and the others show concern for Karsten's deteriorating emotional state. As the group's food supply begins to diminish, Ryan, Ron and Brighton go hunting for some food. During the hunt, Brighton is accidentally shot by a farmhand named Jacob who mistaked them for zombies. Ron nearly kills Jacob in a fit of rage before Ryan tells him that Brighton is still alive. Jacob apologizes for his actions and tells them that one of the people at the farm he's been staying at has medical experience. Jacob leads Ron to the farm with Brighton while Ryan informs the group of Brighton's accident. At the farm, Seth Williams manages to extract the bullet from Brighton and save her life. Seth invites the group to stay while Brighton recuperates and introduces the group to his children: his oldest son Tony Williams, his daughter Lily Williams, his son Carl Williams and his youngest daughter Jane Williams. Seth also introduces his twins Kelly Williams and Torrie Williams, Jacob and Jacob's girlfriend, Sherry, who live up the road but are staying with Seth and his family since his home is more safer for them. As the group settle in, Olivia tries to talk with Karsten about getting over Taylor and not shutting down for the sake of her memory, but this just makes Karsten extremely angry. Kyla is relieved that Brighton is fine and talks with her in the room she's recuperating in. Ron learns from Ashleigh that she and Ryan see Brighton and Kyla as if they were their own children. Ron asks if Ashleigh ever thought about having kids, and she admits it's always been something she's wanted. After dinner, David talks with Lily about how he feels sorry that he didn't try to talk to Olivia sooner and maybe start a relationship with her as he doesn't want to be alone forever. Lily agrees to sleep with him as she doesn't want to regret anything either. Seth converses with Ryan about a permanent place for the group to sleep, but tells Ryan that he doesn't want to sleep in the barn as that's where he's keeps all his dead ones. Seth then explains to an angry Ryan about his views of the zombies as still being living people and not wanting to kill them in case there is an actual cure waiting for discovery, and he explains that his eldest son, Daniel Williams, is in that barn with also many neighbors and random zombies that wandered onto his farm. The following day, the group is practicing how to shoot firearms when Seth stops them because the Thompson house is getting riddled with bullets across the way. Ron pulls Ashleigh aside and asks that if anything were to ever happen to him, if she'd be willing to look out for Brighton and Kyla as if they were her own. Ashleigh promises that she and Ryan will do so. While the group is having lunch later that day, Seth excuses himself to check on the barn. Ryan is troubled about Seth's dark secret, but Olivia urges him to let it go, as they are guests on Seth's Farm. Seth discovers a single zombie having shambled onto the farm and proceeds to get it toward the barn. However, one of the zombies inside falls through and opens both doors all the way, allowing every trapped zombie to break out. This causes the group to rush outside to help. Tony saves his dad from being attacked but is bitten by his zombified brother. The group begins to kill the zombies as Jane is torn apart by a few of them. Finally seeing that his son will never be normal again, Seth takes Lily's gun and shoots his three children to prevent reanimation. He briefly puts the gun to his own temple, but is stopped by Ryan. He then breaks down as the group look on in sadness. The next day, Seth discovers David sleeping with Lily and gets into an angry argument with her, but he leaves them be for the time being. Ryan and Karsten talk about Taylor while cleaning the barn to sleep in. Ryan later asks Seth if they can sleep in the house, but Seth angrily tells Ryan that he expects the group to leave the farm soon. When Ryan reports this to Ashleigh, she angirly confronts Seth, saying that he is sentencing them to death by forcing them out. Seth maintains that he has to look out for his own family. Ashleigh says that if her group hadn't been there with their guns, he and his family would all be dead and then going across the line, she blames Seth's stupidity on his children's deaths which only causes him to slap her. Ryan steps in and initiates an argument with Seth until Seth eventually points his gun to Ryan's head to force them to leave. The group finally decides to leave the farm. David chooses to remain behind to pursue his relationship with Lily while Jacob tries to talk with Seth, who is now convinced that he has lost his mind after nearly killing Ryan. After some unsuccessful raids and hunting parties, which causes the group to become increasingly starved, Sarah and Sonja discover a large horde of zombies moving in the general direction of the farm. Karsten, Jeffrey and Angelica believe this is Seth's problem, since he kicked them off his farm and probably doesn't expect them to return. Olivia argues that they have a friend staying on the farm that needs their help. Brighton and Kyla back Olivia's reasoning, as does Ryan. Reluctantly, Karsten agrees that they have to go back. Deaths * Taylor Williamson * Daniel Williams (confirmed fate) * Tony Williams * Jane Williams * Numerous unnamed survivors * Numerous amounts of zombies Notes and Trivia * First appearance of Seth. * First (and last) appearance of Tony. * First appearance of Lily. * First appearance of Carl. * First (and last) appearance of Jane. * First appearance of Kelly. * First appearance of Torrie. * First appearance of Jacob. * First appearance of Sherry. * Last appearance of Taylor. * Based on the exchange between Ron and Ashleigh, it is likely Ron is marked to die in one of the next books, which would make Ashleigh and Ryan the adoptive parents of Brighton and Kyla.